Rise of the Drake
by Johnba
Summary: The adventures of a young mechwarrior and his crew


Prologue:  
  
The year is 3028 and humankind has reached the stars. After the population boom that occurred during the middle of the 26th century the people of earth were left with no other option to seek living space among the planets neighboring earth. As if in unison with the population growth, a new and startling breakthrough in warfare was forged, the battlemech.  
As the people of Earth reached new planets further and further from their home world, their link to the political rule of Earth began to weaken. Renegade governments and martial law became the rulers of these new lands, and the people living on these worlds were either part of the system or part of the problem.  
On the world of Drainus Prime, the fate of the people is decided by the rule of the clans. Some clans represent truth and honor, and other represents greed and power. The more powerful of these two groups are the Silver Drakes and the Black Griffons...  
  
Chapter 1:  
  
"Warning, gyro output at 48 percent" Flashed the operating system screen as the mech strafed left narrowly avoiding the training round. "I don't give a damn you stupid machine," yelled John as he kicked the side of the operating console "just do it!" At that very moment another training shell zipped past the left arm of the mech, spinning its cockpit just enough to bring its right arm into firing range. "Gotcha" said john with a grin as he squeezed of the gauss rifle shell. The automated training mech took the blunt of the shell right in its torso, knocking it off its two robotic legs, onto its back and out of commission. "Warning, system overheating" hummed the inboard heat control system, "system shutdown is imminent."Yeah yeah yeah, you pansy go ahead and vent", said john as he gazed upon the fallen training mech. "They really are making those things more challenging, but still no match for the real thing," john said as the loud hissing sound of the mech releasing heat and flooding its system with coolant invaded his hearing. "System cooling complete, awaiting orders" the operating system said as the little diagram on the screen showing the mech's parts when from red to green. "Alright" said john, "lets head back to base". With this, the two-story tall walking tank turned its massive body and began stomping its way back towards the training facility. It had been just over a year since john had completed his mechwarrior training and he looked forward to the day that he and his crew (which were assigned to him upon his graduation) would be given their first mission. For now though, he thought, he was content with honing his skill on the poor training mechs. "If this piece of shit can hold out that long" he blurted out in response to his thought, then he laughed to himself as he thought of the old beat-up machine. It is true that this Puma had seen better days, but it had always pulled him through, that and the fact that he wouldn't bet getting a new mech until he was called to active duty and sent out on missions. "BOOOOOOOOM" as john was shaken out of this pleasant thought and shaken around the cockpit. "What the hell are you doing john?!?" the com-link radio screamed at him as john realized that he had walked smack into the hanger door where the mechs were housed. "Sorry Danni" he replied to the angry voice of his chief mechanic, "I kinda had her set on auto and zoned, you know how it goes." Great!" replied Danielle, "now I can fix that door on top of that rickety heap of yours." Yea yea, its lot you have anything else to do anyway, except for playing with those stupid cats of yours." "Hey!" you leave my cats out of this" she replied, "and if you're quite done destroying clan property Robin wants to see you in her office." "Uh-oh what did I do now?" replied john as he walked the Puma through the now open hangar doors and into its repair garage. "Beats me" said Danielle as she walked up to john as he jumped out of the cockpit and onto the hangar floor, "maybe if I'm lucky it's just to beat your ass." "Gee thanks Danni, always nice to know you care" replied john as he walked up the scaffolding to the upper offices housed in the hangar. "Hey baby, what's up?" john said to his girlfriend and chief engineer as he entered her office. "We got this message today from HQ; it's about our crew getting sent out on assignment!" "Really?!?" said john as his mouth gaped open with shock, "that so rocks!" 


End file.
